Drawer slide mechanism



Jan. 5, 1965 c. MlcHAELsoN 3,164,419

DRAWER SLIDE MECHANISM Filed Jan. 9. 1961 l Z2 INVENTOR. 2* f WHA/vm a,mwN/GAL /4 ,4f/army.: for ff/'cow' United States Patent 3,164,419DRAWER SLIDE lVIECI-IANISM Carlyle Michaelson, Sunland, Calif., assignerto Helga Metal Production Company, Van Nuys, Calif., a corporation ofCalifornia Filed Jan. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 81,533 8 Claims. (Cl. 30S-3.8)

This invention relates generally to drawers for desks, and the like, andrelates more particularly to slide mechanisms for drawers.

While the invention has particular utility in connection with slidemechanisms for desk drawers, and the like, and is shovm and described insuch connection, it is to be understood that its utility is not confinedthereto.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a drawer slidemechanism that is extremely easy to operate.

It is another object of the invention to provide mechanism of thischaracter that firmly supports the drawer in all operative positions.

It is still another object of the invention to provide mechanism of thischaracter wherein friction between the parts is reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is .to provide mechanism of thischaracter of extremely simple construction.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide mechanism ofthis character having a minimum number of parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide mechanism of thischaracter whereby the drawer may be easily and quickly installed in theopening provided therefor in a desk or the like.

Still another object of the invention is to provide mechanism of thischaracter operably supporting the drawer in its various positions andlimiting outward movement thereof by permitting easy and quick removalof the drawer if so desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide mechanism of thischaracter that is rugged and that will have a long, trouble free life.

A still further object of the invention is to provide mechanism of thischaracter that is reliable in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus of thischaracter that is rela-tively inexpensive to manufacture and install.

'The characteristics and advantages of the invention are furthersufllciently referred to in connection with the following detaileddescription of the accompanying drawings, which represent onearrangement. After considering this example, skilled persons willunderstand that variations may be made without departing from theprineiples disclosed, and I contemplate the employment of anystructures, arrangements or modes of operation that are properly withinthe scope of the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

FIG. l is a fragmentary perspective view of a desk -having drawers withslide mechanisms embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3 3 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the cabinet race; and

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 1, but with thedrawer removed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is shown a portion ofa table, indicated generally at 10, having a drawer opening 12 to adrawer compartment 14 in which is slidably disposed a drawer, indicatedgenerally at 1d. At each side of the drawer compartment there are aplurality of vertical cabinet race supv ICC port members 18 which arelaterally spaced apart. The members 18 at each side have attachedthereto a horizontal cabinet race indicated generally at 20.

Each cabinet race is T-shaped in cross section and is formed by foldinga strip of sheet metal of suitable length along its longitudinal center,as indicated at 21, and in parallel spaced relation to the folded edge,turning flanges 22 in opposite directions, said flanges 22 being `normalto the plane of the stem portion 23 of the race, said stern having twothicknesses of the material. The ilanges 22 are attached to the supportmembers 18 by means of welding or the like and the stem'portions of theraces 20 are in a common horizontal plane.

The drawer 15 has a bottom 25, longtiudinally extending side walls 26, arear wall 27 and a front wall 28. Along the upper edges of the sidewalls are outwardly turned flanges 29 and the rear wall is provided withan outwardly turned or rearwardly turned flange 30. The front wall has arearwardly turned flange 31 along its top edge.

The drawer is provided with a pair of oppositely arranged longitudinallyextending drawer races, indicated generally at 34, said races 34 beinggenerally C-shaped in cross section and having their backs, or closedsides, secured to the respective side walls of the drawer by anysuitable means such as welding or theA like. Races 34 have end-portionswhich extend inwardly or rearwardly from the front of the drawer beyondthe rear wall thereof.

Since each drawer race is C-shaped in cross section, there is a closedrear side 35, top and bottom walls 3e and 37 respectively, which areturned laterally outwardly of the closed side wall 35 and substantiallynormal thereto, walls 36 and 37 being substantially parallel to eachother but spaced vertically apart. Along the outer edge of the top wall36 there is a depending flange 3S and along the outeredge of the wall 37there is an upturned flange 39, the free edges 38a and 39a of therespective flanges 38 and 39 are spaced vertically apart and aresubstantially parallel to each other.

Each race 34 is provided with an upper and a lower ball bearing, saidball bearings being indicated at 49 and 41 respectively. These ballbearings are of a diameter somewhat greater than the width of theflanges 38 and 39 and the tangent horizontal planes of adjacent parts ofsaid ball bearings are spaced apart sufliciently to operably receive thestem 23 of the respective cabinet race 20, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and4.

As best shown in FIG. 3, free edge portions of the flanges 3S and 39 areturned inwardly sufliciently to retain the balls 40 and 41 in theirrespective channels defined by the flanges 38, 39, walls 36 and 37respectively, and adjacent portions of the back wall 35 to the drawerrace, said channels being indicated at 42 and 44 respectively. The lowerballs 41 of the drawer races are prevented from rolling out of the rearends of the channels 44 of the drawer races by turning the upper freecorners at the rear of the flanges 39 inwardly suficiently to bedisposed in the pathway of said balls. Forward movement of the balls 41is limited by ears 46 which are cut from and turned upwardly of thelower walls 37 of the drawer races. Ears 46 extend into the channels 44and are spaced forwardly of the rear ends of said drawer races 34. Ears48 are cut from and turned downwardly of the top walls 36 of the drawerraces and extend downwardly into the channels 42 for the balls 40 tolimit rearward movement of said balls.

Ears 48 are spaced forwardly of the rear ends of the drawer races 34 butare rearwardly of the upturned ears 46. Forwardly of the ears 48 areears50 which are cut from and turned downwardly of the top walls 36 of thedrawer races 34. Ears 50 depend into the channels 42 of Vare turnedupwardlysomewhat, as best shown at 52 in FIG. 6. When inserting thedrawer the forward end ofy the Vdrawer is raised sufficiently so thatthe forward ends ofthe stems 23 will enter the spaces between the edges38a. and 39a of respective drawer races. When the front end portions ofsaid stems 23 enter said spaces be- Y tween the edges 38a and 39a theforward end of the drawer is lowered so-that said drawer issubstantially horizontal and is then moved inwardly into the drawercompartment. It is to be understood, of course, that when the drawer isto be inserted into its compartment the balls in the races are at thejrearmost limit of movement, the lower balls being in engagement with theinturned corners 39h and the upper balls being in engagement with theears 48.

Y Then when the drawer is moved inwardly into its compartment with thecabinet races and drawer races in operable relationship to each other,the balls will support the drawer and will permit easy, almostfrictionless sliding movement into the drawer compartment and alsopermit similar sliding movement outwardly when access to the drawer isdesired.

vThe balls 4@ have operable rolling contact with the top walls 36 of therespective drawer races and with the stems 23 of the respective cabinetraces. Likewise the balls 4l have operable rolling contact with thelower walls 37 of the drawer races and with the stern 23 of therespective cabinet races. The stop means for limiting movement of theballs Vare so spaced as to permit the drawer to have a predeterminedlongitudinal movement between the position whereat it is fully closedand a predetermined extended position. The ball limiting means are-sorelated to the upturned forward ends 52 of the cabinet races that whenthe drawer is pulled outwardly the upper balls 4i) simultaneously engagethe upturned end portions 52 of Y the cabinetraces and the rearward ears4S in the upper channels 42 of the drawer races. Also the lower ballsengage the upturned ears 45 in the lower channels 44 of the drawerraces. It is to be noted that at all operable positions of the drawerthe lower balls are positioned rearwardly of the upper balls.

As long as the drawer is in its normal horizontal position its outwardmovement will be limited, as above pointed out, and, of course, itsinward movement will be limited by bumpers 54 at the front end of thedrawer compartment, said bumpers comprising U-shaped brackets having aback part S6 spot welded or otherwise suitably secured to the verticalsupport members at the front end of said drawer compartment. Saidbracket having inturned flanges 58V and 59, the flanges 58 being at theforward ends of the bracket and having a resilient covering 6d of anysuitable material, such as rubber, plastic, or the like. The front wallof the drawer is adapted to engage the covered flanges to 'limit inwardmovement of the drawer. A handle 62 of any well known character isattached to the front wall 2S by any suitable well known means, such as,for example, screws, not shown.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantageswill be understood from the foregoing description and it will beapparent that various changes may be made inthe form, construction andarrangement ot the parts of the invention without departing from thespirit and scope thereof or sacrificing its material advantages, thearrangement hereinbefore described being merely for purposes ofillustration.

I claim:

f l, The combination of a structure having a drawer receivingcompartment open at one end; a drawer horizontally disposed in saidcompartment and movable in the opening of said compartment; and a slidemechanism at each side or" said drawer, each of said slide mechanismscomprising a drawer race formed ot sheet material in the general crosssectional shape of a C, said race having a closed vertical back wallsecured to the adjacent side of the drawer, upper and lower horizontalwalls, a depending ilange at the outer edge of the upper wall and anupstanding llange from the outer edge of the lower wall, the free edgesof said flanges being spaced apart and having their adjacent edgeportions turned inwardly, the llanges, respective upper and lowerhorizontal walls and adjacent portions of the back wall forming upperand lower longitudinally extending channels; an upper and a lower ballbearing in respective upper and lower channels, the diameters of saidballs being somewhat greater than the width of the respective anges andthe inturned free edge portions of said channels retaining said balls insaid channels, the drawer races extending rearwardly of said drawers;means limiting movement of the lower ball in its channel comprising aninturned rear free corner of the upstanding flange of the lower channelto limit rearward movement of the lower ball in said channel and an earupturned into the lower channel in longitudinally forwardly spacedrelation to the rear end thereof, said ear being so spaced from theinturned corner of the lower channel as to permit a predetermined freerolling movement of the lower ball in its channel to thereby normallylimit the movement of the drawer from its closed position to apredetermined open position; means limiting movement of the upper ballin its channel comprising a pair of ears downturned into the upperchannel and having substantially the same effective spacing relative toeach other as the spacing of the inturned free corner of the lowerllange and the upturned ear in the lower channel, said downturned earsbeing spaced forwardly of the rear end of the drawer race; a cabinetrace for each drawer race, each cabinet race being generally T-shaped incross section and having a horizontal stem portion extending into thedrawer race through the space between the free edges of the flangesthereof and engageable by the upper and lower balls for rolling movementrelative to the respective top and bottom sides of said stem; andcppositely extending llanges at the outer edge of the stem, said flangesbeing normal to the plane of the stem and being secured to saidstructure, the positioning of the stop means for limiting rollingmovement of the upper ball being so related to the stop means forlimiting rolling movement of the lower ball that said upper and lowerballs are always in staggered relationship relataive to each otherthroughout the various operative movements of the drawer.

2. The combination of a structure having a drawer receiving compartmentopen at one end; a drawer horizontally disposed in said compartment andmovable inwardly and outwardly relative thereto; and a slide mechanismat each side of said drawer, each slide mechanism comprising a drawerrace formed of sheet material in the general cross sectional shape of aC, said race having a closed vertical back wall secured to the adjacentsides of the drawer, upper and lower horizontal walls, a depending angeat the outer edge of the upper wall and an upstanding flange from theouter edge of the lower wall, the free edges of said flanges beingspaced apart and having their adjacent edge portions turned inwardly,the flanges, respective upper and lower horizontal walls and adjacentportions of the back wall forming upper and lower longitudinallyextending channels; upper and lower ball bearings in respective upperand lower channels, the diameters of said balls being somewhat greaterthan the width of the respective flanges, stop means for the lowerchannel spaced longitudinally thereof to limit rearward and forwardmovement of the lower ball into said channel; stop means for the upperchannel spaced longitudinaland operably engageable by the upper andlower balls,

the positioning of the stop means for limiting rolling movement of theupper ball being so related to the stop means for limiting rollingmovement of the lower ball that said upper and lower balls are instaggered relationship relative to each other.

3. The combination of a structure having a drawer receiving compartmentopen at one end; a drawer normally horizontally disposed in saidcompartment and movable inwardly and outwardly relative thereto; and aslide mechanism at each side of said drawer, each slide mechanismcomprising a drawer race attached to the adjacent side of the drawer andextending longitudinally thereof, each drawer race having parts definingan upper and a lower ball receiving channel, said channels facing eachother and being spaced apart with a longitudinally extending opening atthe outer sides; an upper ball operably disposed and retained in theupper channel; a lower ball operably disposed and retained in the lowerchannel; longitudinally spaced stop means for limiting longitudinalmovement of the lower ball in the lower channel; longitudinally spacedstop means for limiting longitudinal movement of the upper ball; and acabinet race for each drawer race, the cabinet races being mounted atrespective sides of the drawer receiving compartment and each cabinetrace including a longitudinally extending part extending through thelongitudinal opening between the upper and lower channels of theadjacent drawer race and operably engaging the upper and lower balls,the positioning of the stop means for the respective channels being soarranged and related to each other that the upper and lower balls are instaggered relationship to each other.

4. The combination of a structure having a drawer receiving compartmentopen at one end; a drawer normally horizontally disposed in saidcompartment and movable inwardly and outwardly relative thereto; and aslide mechanism at each side of said drawer, each slide mechanismcomprising a drawer race attached to the adjacent side of the drawer andextending longitudinally thereof, each drawer race having parts definingan upper and a lower ball receiving channel, said channels facing eachother and being spaced apart with a longitudinally extending opening atthe outer sides; an upper ball operably disposed in the upper channel; alower ball operably disposed in the lower channel; longitudinally spacedrear and forward stop means for limiting longitudinal movement of thelower ball in the lower channel; longitudinally spaced rear and forwardstop means for limiting longitudinal movement of the upper ball, therear and forward stop means of the upper channel being positionedforwardly of the corresponding stop means of the lower channel; acabinet race for each drawer race mounted at respective sides of thedrawer receiving compartment and each including a track part extendingthrough the respective longitudinal opening between the upper and lowerchannels of the adjacent drawer race and operably engaged by the upperand lower balls; and means limiting outward movement of said drawer whenin the horizontal position but permitting said drawer to be removed fromsaid compartment when the front end is raised as said drawer is pulledoutwardly.

5. The combination of a structure having a drawer receiving compartmentopen at one end; a drawer disposed in said compartment and movableinwardly and outwardly relative thereto; and a slide mechanism at eachside of said drawer, each slide mechanism comprising a drawer raceattached to the adjacent side of the drawer and extending longitudinallythereof, each drawer race having parts defining an upper and a lowerball receiving channel, said channels facing each other and being spacedapart with a longitudinally extending opening at the outer sides; anupper ball operably disposed in the upper channel; a lower ball operablydisposed in the lower channel; longitudinally spaced stop means forlimiting longitudinal movement of the lower ball in the lower channel;1ongitudinally spaced stop means for limiting longitudinal movement ofthe upper ball, the stop means of one channel being longitudinallyoffset relative to the stop means of the other channel; and a cabinetrace for each drawer race, said cabinet races being mounted atrespective sides of the drawer receiving compartment and each includinga part extending through the respective longitudinal opening between'the upper and lower channels and operably engaged by the upper andlower balls.

6. A drawer slide mechanism, comprising: a drawer race formed of sheetmaterial in the general cross sectional shape of a C, said race having aclosed side, upper and lower horizontal walls, a depending ilange at theouter edge of the upper wall and an upstanding flange from the outeredge of the lower wall, the free edges of said anges being spaced apartand having their adjacent edge portions turned inwardly, the anges,respective upper and lower horizontal walls and `adjacent portions ofthe back wall forming upper and lower longitudinally extending channels;upper tand lower ball bearings in respective upper and lower channels,the diameters of said balls being somewhat greater than the width of therespective llanges and the inturned free edge portions of said channelsretaining said balls in said channels, the upstanding ilange of thelower channel having its free corner turned inwardly to limit rearwardmovement of the lower ball into said channel; an ear upturned into thelower channel in longitudinally spaced relation to the rear end thereof,said ear being so spaced from the inturned corner of the lower ball inits channel as to provide a predetermined free rolling movement of thelower ball in its channel; a pair of ears downturned into the upperchannel and having substantially the same effective spacing relative toeach other as the spacing of the inturned free corner of the lowerflange and the upturned ear in the lower channel, said downturned earsbeing spaced forwardly of ithe rear end of the drawer race; and acabinet race generally T-shaped in cross section and having a stemportion extending into the drawer race through the space between thefree edges of the anges thereof and engageable by the upper and lowerballs for rolling movement relative to the respective top and bottomsides of said stem, the forward end of said stem having a portion turnedupwardly; and oppo- =sitely extending flanges at the outer edge of thestem, the positioning of the stop means for limiting rolling movement ofthe upper ball being so related to the stop means llmiting rollingmovement of the lower ball that said upper and lower balls are `alwaysin staggered relationship relative to each other throughout tthe variousoperative movements of the drawer.

7. A drawer slide mechanism, comprising: a drawer race formed of sheetmaterial in the general cross sectional shape of a C, said race having aclosed side, upper and lower horizontal walls, a depending flange at theouter edge of the upper wall and an upstanding flange from the outeredge of the lower wall, the free edges of said flanges belng spacedapart and having their adjacent edge portions turned inwardly, theanges, respective upper and lower horizontal walls Vand adjacentportions of the back wall forming upper and lower longitudinallyextending channels; upper and lower ball bearings in respective upperand lower channels, the diameters' of said balls being somewhat greaterthan the width of the respective anges and the inturned free edgeportions of said channels retaining said balls in said channels, theupstanding flange of the lower channel having its freecorner turnedinwardly to limit rearward movement of the lower ball in said channel;an ear upturned into the lower channel in 9 iongitndinallyfspacedrelation to the rear end thereof, said ear being so spaced from theinturned corner of the lower channel as to provide a predetermined freerolling movement of the `lower ball in its channel; a pair of earsdownturned into the upper channel and having substantially the sameciective spacing relative -to each other as the spacing of the intnrnedfree corner of the lower flange and the'upturned ear in the lowerchannel, said downturned ears being spaced forwardly of the rear end ofthe drawer race;` and -a cabinet race including'a track portionextending into the drawer race through the space between the free edgesof the flanges thereof and engageable by the upper and lower balls forrolling movement relative to-the respective top and bottom' sides ofsaid stem; the positioning of the stop means for limiting rollingmovement of the balls being Isorelated that said balls are offsetrelative to each other.

v 8. ln combination: a' structure having adrawer yreceivingcornpartmentopen at one end; a drawer disposed in said compartment andmovable inwardly and outwardly relative thereto; and a slide mechanismat each side of said drawer, each slide mechanism comprising a cabinetrace operably mounted adjacent each side of said drawer and including alongitudinally extending track, a drawer race attached to each side ofthe drawer, each drawer race having parts defining an upper and a lowerball receiving channel adjacent the top and bottom sides of the track ofthe adjacent cabinet means; and a single ball operably disposed in eachchannel and engaging the track of the adjacent cabinet race, said ballsbeing operably arranged in staggered relationship to each other and theballs of each slide mechanism being movable longitudinally rel-ative tothe cabinet race and channel races thereof.

References Cited in the die of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 678,211Allen July 9, 1901 2,370,861 Jakeway a., Mar. 6, i945 2,678,854 Card May18, 1954

1. THE COMBINATION OF A STRUCTURE HAVING A DRAWER RECEIVING COMPARTMENTOPEN AT ONE END; A DRAWER HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED IN SAID COMPARTMENT ANDMOVABLE IN THE OPENING OF SAID COMPARTMENT; AND A SLIDE MECHANISM ATEACH SIDE OF SAID DRAWER, EACH OF SAID SLIDE MECHANISMS COMPRISING ADRAWER RACE FORMED OF SHEET MATERIAL IN THE GENERAL CROSS SECTIONALSHAPE OF A C, SAID RACE HAVING A CLOSED VERTICAL BACK WALL SECURED TOTHE ADJACENT SIDE OF THE DRAWER, UPPER AND LOWER HORIZONTAL WALLS, ADEPEDING FLANGE AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE UPPER WALL AND AN UPSTANDINGFLANGE FROM THE OUTER EDGE OF THE LOWER WALL, THE FREE EDGES OF SAIDFLANGES BEING SPACED APART AND HAVING THEIR ADJACENT EDGE PORTIONSTURNED INWARDLY, THE FLANGES, RESPECTIVE UPPER AND LOWER HORIZONTALWALLS AND ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE BACK WALL FORMING UPPER AND LOWERLONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CHANNELS; AN UPPER AND LOWER BALL BEARING INRESPECTIVE UPPER AND LOWER CHANNELS, THE DIAMETERS OF SAID BALLS BEINGSOMEWHAT GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF THE RESPECTIVE FLANGES AND THEINTURNED FREE EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID CHANNELS RETAINING SAID BALLS INSAID CHANNELS, THE DRAWER RACES EXTENDING REARWARDLY OF SAID DRAWERS;MEANS LIMITING MOVEMENT OF THE LOWER BALL IN ITS CHANNEL COMPRISING ANINTURNED REAR FREE CORNER OF THE UPSTANDING FLANGE OF THE LOWER CHANNELTO LIMIT REARWARD MOVEMENT OF THE LOWER BALL IN SAID CHANNEL AND AN EARUPTURNED INTO THE LOWER CHANNEL IN LONGITUDINALLY FORWARDLY SPACEDRELATION TO THE REAR END THEREOF, SAID EAR BEING SO SPACED FROM THEINTURNED CORNER OF THE LOWER CHANNEL AS TO PERMIT A PERDETERMINED FREEROLLING MOVEMENT OF THE LOWER BALL IN ITS CHANNEL TO THEREBY NORMALLYLIMIT THE MOVEMENT OF THE DRAWER FROM ITS CLOSED POSITION TO APREDETERMINED OPEN POSITION; MEANS LIMITING MOVEMENT OF THE UPPER BALLIN ITS CHANNEL COMPRISING A PAIR OF EARS DOWNTURNED INTO THE UPPERCHANNEL AND HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME EFFECTIVE SPACING RELATIVE TOEACH OTHER AS THE SPACING OF THE INTURNED FREE CORNER OF THE LOWERFLANGE AND THE UPTURNED EAR IN THE LOWER CHANNEL, SAID DOWNTURNED EARSBEING SPACED FORWARDLY OF THE REAR AND OF THE DRAWER RACE; A CABINETRACE FOR EACH DRAWER RACE, EACH CABINET RACE BEING GENERALLY T-SHAPED INCROSS SECTION AND HAVING A HORIZONTAL STEM PORTION EXTENDING INTO THEDRAWER RACE THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FREE EDGES OF THE FLANGESTHEREOF AND ENGAGEABLE BY THE UPPER AND LOWER BALLS OF ROLLING MOVEMENTRELATIVE TO THE RESPECTIVE TOP AND BOTTOM SIDES OF SAID STEM; ANDOPPOSITELY EXTENDING FLANGES AT THE OUTER EDGE OF THE STEM, SAID FLANGESBEING NORMAL TO THE PLANE OF THE STEM AND BEING SECURED TO SAIDSTRUCTURE, THE POSITIONING OF THE STOP MEANS FOR LIMITING ROLLINGMOVEMENT OF THE UPPER BALL BEING SO RELATED TO THE STOP MEANS FORLIMITING ROLLING MOVEMENT OF THE LOWER BALL THAT SAID UPPER AND LOWERBALLS ARE ALWAYS IN STAGGERED RELATIONSHIP RELATIVE TO EACH OTHERTHROUGHOUT THE VARIOUS OPERATIVE MOVEMENTS OF THE DRAWER.